Special Message
by merryfortune
Summary: [canon divergent, post canon] Reiji enlists Shun as a tester for the latest generation of inter-dimensional communication technology. The job itself is a little different to what Shun was envisioning. Needless to say, Akaba Reiji truly is a nerd.


**Special Message**

'I appreciate you meeting with me before you cross back to the XYZ Dimension, Kurosaki.' Reiji said.

'What's another twenty minutes, right? Not like I have a real home to get back to or anything. Just the Resistance base.' Shun replied with a shrug. 'Besides, you said coffee was your shout. I need it, I haven't slept so well in years. I still feel asleep, to be honest.'

'Mm, well good sleep is a luxury you can afford now.' Reiji agreed. 'You look a lot less stressed now; and its only been a few days. That's good.'

'Thanks, I guess.' Shun mumbled into his takeaway coffee cup.

It was early morning and the sun was fresh. They were sitting outside some franchise coffee shop. It wasn't terrible. They were lost in the crowd here, which was great. They weren't leader of the rebellion and CEO here. Just another two customers here for some five hundred yen coffees.

'So, why did you bring me here?' Shun asked, he eyed Reiji suspiciously. They were sitting next to each other rather than across from each other. It felt less intense, less awkward. 'You're never after anything close to fraternisation s what's you're ulterior motive.' Shun continued to speak.

'On business. Ever boring, aren't I?'

Shun rolled his eyes. 'What am I testing?'

'Inter-dimensional telecommunication technology.' Reiji replied flatly.

'That already exists though… Academia has it, doesn't it?' asked Shun.

'Not a very functional form. Good for mass reports to soldiers; not so good for people who want to speak one-on-one.' Reiji explained.

'I see.'

'Yes, well, I adapted Academia's technology and fused it with Standard's pre-existing communications. I have hopefully created an app that allows for face-to-face calls through Duel Disks. If your – our – initial test run of the app goes well, then I shall extend it to the public and perhaps create a holographic subtype too.'

'Oh…? You'll revolutionise dick pics. Don't do that; you'll ruin more lives than enhancing them if you do that.' Shun teased.

Reiji glared and went red. He raised an eyebrow. 'Was that a joke?'

'Something like that.' Shun mumbled. 'But, I'm sure displaced families would kill to have that app.'

'I intend to distribute it freely.'

'Good.'

Reiji put down his coffee cup. 'If you like, I can update your Duel Disk right now, so it has the app?'

'Whatever. I want another coffee.' Shun said.

Reiji opened his wallet. 'Have some change.'

'Thanks. I'll pay you back.' offered Shun.

'I'm the richest sixteen-year-old alive, two coffees won't break the bank.' Reiji replied, testy.

'Was that a joke?' Shun asked as he stood up.

'Something like that.' Reiji said, a tad smug.

'Here.' Shun said as he sat his Duel Disk on the glass table between them. 'Don't break it or I'll make you buy me the most expensive one of the market.'

'I wouldn't dream of breaking it.' Reiji said.

'Good.' Shun huffed.

Shun left the table to go buy a second coffee. Reiji took out a miniature tool kit. Within the space of ordering a coffee and returning with one, the update had already finished. Shun was impressed. He sat down again.

'That was fast.'

'I've perfected the hardware.' boasted Reiji.

'Hmm, your coffee cup is empty.' Shun noted.

'I don't need a second one just yet.' Reiji replied. He took a breath. 'If it suits you, you may leave. I don't have a tight schedule today. I can afford another twenty minutes with you.'

'I promised Ruri I'd meet her at the Dimensional Gate before ten. It'll take me fifteen minutes to get there. I – I should probably go.'

Shun sounded hesitant.

'I see. Well, I intend to give you a call at six o'clock. I suggest being alone at that time so we have the space and privacy to relay messages. I have a few tests so also have pen and paper at hand, if possible. I want to make sure the quality of audio and video are high. Understand?'

'Understood.'

'I have a special message for you. Have you ever seen those spy movies?'

'Yeah, so like "the sparrow flies south the winter" type thing?' Shun asked.

'Yes, exactly like that. Those sorts of things.'

'You're a nerd.' Shun said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

There was almost a smile on his face. Post-War Kurosaki Shun was not someone Reiji knew entirely but looked forward to getting to know; he was glad the healing process had begun.

'Just so long as you understand.'

'I do.'

'Good. I look forward to our conference call at six o'clock. In the event that contact between us is not established, then I will likely call in at the Resistance Base tomorrow around lunch, so that's twelve-thirty, and reassess the applications on our devices and try to improve them. But I am very confident in my technology.'

'I'm confident in your technology too.' Shun said.

'Thank you.'

'Well, I'll be seeing you, I guess.' Shun said.

'Yes, goodbye.' Reiji replied, oddly nervous.

Shun took his cup of coffee and walked off. His navy coat soon got lost in the monotonous crowd. It was bizarre how life in Standard had already readjusted to this new knowledge and slight destruction it had taken during the climax of the battles with Zarc.

Reiji looked forward to this evening. Perhaps he should have scheduled it sooner but there were press statements to make and other things to be attended too. The call was actually scheduled within his private time. It did not matter; he preferred this way actually so the special message he intended to convey could stay off the records; away from the analytical ears of his time.

The seconds of the day grinded reluctantly for Reiji, ever impatient. He had been testy all day; going so far as tapping his foot to keep in time with the clock on the walls, in the corner of his laptop's screen, and wherever else time may be found. So, when he was finally in the privacy of his room, a minute before six o'clock, he was prepared to say the least.

He sat at his desk and straightened his back. He adjusted where his Duel Disk was propped up. He wanted the best, most professional angle to be viewed from. He opened the application on his Duel Disk and just as his digital clock next to it ticked to six-double-zero, he started the call.

His stomach twisted. He licked his lips. He hoped that all his simulations were correct; as ridiculous as it was. His technology was the best that could be brought forward. He didn't just have three days with minimal sleep for nothing. He wanted to make sure that his technology was in rhythm with Shun's return to the XYZ Dimension. There was a very important reason for that. A very special message for that.

Reiji watched carefully as the pale blue of the loading screen sent letter-like digital animations across the screen towards a profile picture belonging to Shun. The animations stopped and the screen went funny; like a glitch waved through it. For a single moment, Reiji's pride had taken a terrible hit; especially when the screen turned grey. That was, until, audio came through:

'Hello…? Kurosaki Shun speaking.'

The screen jumped and the video came good.

'Akaba.' Shun addressed. 'Your video quality is shit. You're all fuzzy. Fix it.'

'I will, I will. But you look perfectly fine from this end of the line. It might have to do with the fact that your poor Duel Disk is the only thing with the right wavelength to transmit messages in your Dimension.' Reiji said, troubleshooting the issue.

'Then put more Wi-Fi towers or whatever in then.' Kurosaki rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. 'So, if you are imitating spy movies with this project, then shouldn't we have started off with the special message? C'mon, what corny line have you come up with for me? Or did I steal it this morning?'

Reiji's heart murmured. A faint, scarlet hue blossomed in his cheeks. His eyes moved away from Shun's. He raised an eyebrow and wondered what had gotten Reiji so flustered all of sudden.

'The special message is: "I love you, Kurosaki Shun. I am romantically attracted to you.".'

Shun grabbed his Duel Disk and the footage from Reiji's end crinkled and turned to static.

'What?!' Shun shouted. His eyes went wide; his cheeks flushed. His fingers clamped around his device. He was not flattering himself from the angle that Reiji was viewing from.

'Oh? So, you did want to hear a corny line after all? Alright then, I suppose a generic bird pun should suffice given the kanji in your name and deck theme. "You make my heart flutter like the wings of a…raptor"?'

'That is so not what I meant and you know it, asshole!' Shun screamed. 'You are a coward!'

'…Explain.' Reiji said as he adjusted his glasses pointlessly.

'You wait to confess to me after I get back to my own Dimension so in the event it goes tits up – and it has! – you don't have to deal with me in person.'

'I would not call that cowardice. I would call that tactical positioning.' Reiji replied, calmly even in the face of Shun's frenzy.

'Then you were probably certain this phone call would end terribly.'

Shun resigned and put his Duel Disk down. He looked much better from front-on than from underneath.

'If it even started at all.' Reiji lamented.

'So, what were you going to do if this turned out horribly?'

'I would say this conversation never happened, delete the records the Duel Disks kept from it, and then have other people do tests. This isn't official after all, it won't be kept in Leo Corporation logs after all. Thought I would… use that to my advantage. I suppose I ought to apologise then for deceiving you as this isn't a business call at all.'

'And what would you do… if it went great?' Shun asked, shyly. His voice quietening as he spoke.

'Depends on what you meant by "great".'

'If – If you're attraction, as you put it, was requited.'

'I would ask to meet you in person, for another coffee. Or just a chat. Or anything so long as it was just us.'

'I'm happy to make the commute back to Standard tomorrow for more coffee, if you like…?'

'I'm busy all through tomorrow but the day after is somewhat better.' Reiji replied as he recalled his calendar before staring in horror. His hands twitch. 'Wait, is – did you just…?'

'When are you free? I'm free whenever.'

'B-But – are you saying?'

'Wow, you really were expecting this to go terribly, weren't you?'

'I thought all things considered: what my father did to Heartland, the fact that my elder sister is the reincarnation of your younger sister, how you antagonised my school by Carding teachers, just general animosity in, well, general…'

'Eventually, I started to see you as a friend.'

'And I started to admire you. Very deeply.'

'And that admiration turned to attraction?'

'Yes.'

'…Same.'

The conversation lulled. Neither could look each other in the eye but at least they had calmed down.

'So, when are you free?'


End file.
